CAHR Certification

The Columbus REALTORS® Affordable Housing Committee Certified Affordable Housing REALTOR® (CAHR) certification program was created to recognize REALTORS® who have committed their time and obtained experience in working the affordable housing market.

Through this recognition program, the general public will be served by being able to more easily identify REALTORS® who have acquired the ability to handle real estate transactions in the affordable housing market, identified by the Association as properties priced $150,000 and below. To qualify for the certification program, criteria must be met in the following four areas of affordable housing: transactions, association activities, education and community involvement.

To qualify for the certification program, criteria must be met in the following four areas of affordable housing: transactions, association activities, education and community involvement.

The CAHR is not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Association of REALTORS®. It is a certification offered by Columbus REALTORS® to recognize the efforts of local REALTORS®.

Affordable Housing Transaction

To qualify in this category, applicants must list at least 10 affordable housing transactions that the applicant has listed and/or sold through Columbus REALTORS® in the past three years. Affordable housing is defined as any single family home, condominium, or one- to four-unit owner-occupied property priced at $150,000 or below. These listings may be co-ops and the applicant's primary residence if the residence is priced $150,000 or below. NOTE: Sold date, address, list and sold price of all transactions must be provided in documentation.

Exceptions of properties that are not listed or sold through Columbus REALTORS®, but can count toward certification credit are FSBOs, Sheriff's Sale, new construction, or repos where the agent was paid a commission.All sales must include a settlement statement and may not be agent's own purchase. Additional documentation may be required.

Association Activities

To qualify in this category, applicants must accumulate 10 points in the following real estate related activities:

Membership on the Affordable Housing Committee with at least 70 percent attendance at those meetings, 3 points.

Involvement in OAR/NAR affordable housing activities, i.e., convention, spring and mid-year meetings, National Open House, etc. (1 point for each meeting)

Donation of $50 to CORPAC, which could include tickets to the CORPAC auction and golf outing. (1 point maximum).

Other affordable housing involvement related to real estate issues or activity that may include meetings and/or board involvement related directly to affordable housing, such as the Board of Trustees of Columbus Housing Partnership (1 point for each issue or activity).

Membership an Area Association to help promote committee projects .(1 point for each association)

Affordable Housing Continuing Education

Attaining ten (10) CEU credits from among the following courses in the past five years. AT LEAST FIVE POINTS MUST COME FROM FINANCING COURSES (see *), 1 point for each CEU credit. PLEASE INCLUDE copies of course attendance certificate that must specify name and date of class.

Agency

Down Payment Assistance

Fair Housing

Financing

Contracts

REO & Short Sales

Inspections and Issue Remediation

Any ABR, CRS or GRI courses

Other

Any Ohio Division of Real Estate accredited course pertaining to affordable housing issues can count whether it is sponsored by the Columbus REALTORS®, OAR, NAR or other training organization. Applicant does need to have attended the courses, but does not have to have paid for the CEU credits (attendance documentation required for all courses listed).

Community Involvement

Participation with any charitable, not for profit, civic or religious organizations with affordable housing programs or needs for which you have provided at least ten (10) hours of time in volunteer service in the last two years. Participation can include teaching homebuyers classes and/or involvement in an home buyers expo (1 point for each hour)